Numerous defendants, including a chiropractor and an attorney, are accused of defrauding more than 19 insurers out of $549,000 through a staged auto accident ring in California dubbed “Operation Big Fish” by prosecutors.

The Los Angeles County (Calif.) District Attorney’s Office says those arrested in the early morning hours of March 11 are part of a larger conspiracy involving more than 300 suspects. Since the beginning of “Operation Big Fish” in April 2007, 63 conspirators have been charged and 27 of those individuals have pleaded.

Among the most recent defendants are attorney Vadim Schar, 40, of Encino, Calif., charged with 16 counts of insurance fraud and four counts of possession of illegal narcotics, including cocaine, methamphetamine, concentrated cannabis and marijuana.

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